Pediatric Anesthesia: Techniques and Risk Reduction

Abstract

Pediatric anesthesia provides a complex and uniquely challenging interaction of surgical, anesthetic, medical, ethical, and most importantly, patient factors. Techniques and practices commonly used in adults are often not applicable to infants and neonates. It is our goal to provide safe and immediate perioperative care to such patients. Our aim is to be familiar with the basic pediatric vanguard, which will ensure appropriate preoperative evaluation and testing, use age and patient-size appropriate guidelines for induction of anesthesia, maintenance of anesthesia, perioperative pain control, and postoperative clinical care. Although we often take for granted that other members of the healthcare team possess the same or better knowledge of the medications and techniques we use, this manuscript is a template for beginners, who often do not use these techniques frequently and may need refreshing in those occasionally rare situations.